Collegiate Times

Au Bon Pain employee Donna Rogers, who said she can make 50 espresso drinks in 30 minutes, finishes up a a drink order for a student.

Before joining Au Bon Pain as a food production supervisor three years ago, Donna Rogers had never set foot in a coffee shop.

Before joining Au Bon Pain as a food production supervisor three years ago, Donna Rogers had never set foot in a coffee shop.

And after three years at ABP, taste-testing almost all the coffee in the kiosk and three iced coffee drinks daily, Rogers has never set foot in a Starbucks.

Although she may not be a coffee connoisseur, Rogers is dedicated to serving her customers the best products.

"I try to do the best I can," Rogers said. "Everybody should have it equal."

Rogers manages the ABP kiosk in Squires Student Center and said it is her own "island." She is also responsible for training new employees and imparts her customer service philosophy to her trainees.

"If you mess up, try to improve," Rogers said. "Always be happy. Treat them like your family and they'll keep coming back."

Special Forces Sgt. Maj. of the Army, Mark Ferrone, who goes by Sgt. Maj., said he recognizes Rogers' strong work ethic and her good attitude.

"She'd be a good person to work for," Ferrone said. "Attitude is contagious. She is always positive and upbeat."

Ferrone's beverage of choice is a large Hot Mocha Blast with whipped cream. He drinks coffee all day and has a Mr. Coffee Concept coffee maker in his office in the Military Building, but goes to ABP two to five days a week for his mocha.

He also appreciates Rogers because she "gets the cadets in the habit of calling me Sgt. Maj.," Ferrone said.

Rogers said when the cadets shuffle in at 7:30 a.m. she'll say "Good morning, cadets." The cadets return the greeting and call her "Messy Mama."

"I might be messy when I make drinks, but no one can hold a candle to me," Rogers said, who can make 50 espresso drinks in 30 minutes.

Ferrone, who dressed as a hippie for Halloween, made sure to give Rogers a white daisy, which she sported tucked behind her right ear.

She works from 6 a.m. until around 2:30 p.m. daily. Rogers works the early shift so she can take her daughters, ages 12 and 15, to basketball and softball practice in the afternoon.

She'll come in the morning and start making bagel sandwiches. Between 7:30 a.m. and 10 a.m., the kiosk will serve roughly 100 to 150 sandwiches. ABP has sold as many as 200 in a single morning. "This is really high paced," Rogers said. "You have to be on your toes. Not everyone can work in food service."

Despite the faced-paced environment, which Rogers has been part of since she worked at catering business when she was a student at Christiansburg High School, she finds time to be personable.

"I know about 75 percent of my custumers by name," Rogers said. "I know most of their orders."

To prove it, Rogers named Dean of Libraries Eileen Hitchingham's order: A large coffee.

Hitchingham gets her java hit almost every morning and usually fills her cup with morning blend.

She said Rogers is a wonderful person and the best example of customer service.

"She's an excellent example of the kind of informal relationship you can have at a university," Hitchingham said. "If I'm wearing a new necklace, she'll tell me she likes it."

Rogers was awarded Employee of the Year for ABP last year. Tom Fong, operations manager of ABP, hired Rogers three years ago and said she has one quality that you cannot teach: "They have that charisma or they don't," Fong said of his employees.

Fong said Rogers is all he could want in an employee, and her philosophy toward people is "the most important customer is the one right in front of you."

Of the ABP staff as a whole, Fong said they are like family.

"You have your moments, but at the end of the day everyone's back on the same page," Fong said.

Fong has played paintball with Rogers and other ABP-ers. The group also put together an intramural softball team and lost all their games. Rogers said they are, "the happiest people on campus. I've been to places where (the employees) don't even smile."

While their softball team may not have dominated on the playing field, Rogers said they have other group triumphs.

"We're a great team," Rogers said. "You can't do any better than ABP. We rock 'n' roll."